Steaming device for shaving

ABSTRACT

A steaming device for shaving includes a base configured to rest on a counter surface and including a steam producing mechanism for producing a stream of steam, a steam outlet disposed distal the base along a longitudinal axis of the steaming device and configured to output the stream of steam, the steam outlet including at least one orifice from which the stream of steam flows, and a steam delivery conduit comprising a receiving end and a discharge end, the receiving end operably connected to the base, the discharge end operably connected to the steam outlet for delivering the stream of steam from the base to the steam outlet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to shaving, and particularly to a device and method for shaving in the presence of steam.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Seeking to minimize the harmful effects of shaving and to obtain a better-quality shave, it's common practice to shave while taking a shower, under the effect of hot water and steam. The main goal of this practice is to, under the action of water, open up pores and consequently allow the shaving blade greater access to the base of the hair. The hot water and steam also provoke softening of the hair, thus facilitating the cut.

This practice, however, also have some inconveniences: one must shave and shower at the same time, which is not always desirable; one must use a mirror in or near the shower, which soon becomes fogged due to the steam; it provokes excessive expense because a large amount of hot water is used; shaving in the shower uses excessive amounts of water which is problematic during droughts. etc.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Despite all these issues, however, it remains that exposure to steam creates a huge positive impact on the shaving process, ensuring a closer shave that is more uniform, hygienic, and causes less damage to the skin.

The invention disclosed herein provides a device settable to a steaming mode that allows users to shave outside of the shower while retaining many of the benefits. The device is height and angle adjustable, and delivers a stream of steam. The stream of steam may be adjusted to be delivered from an ideal position partially from in front and partially from under the person's face. The device may include a mirror that is adjustable so that the person may see their face, but the steam does not fog the mirror.

The device is also transformable from the steaming mode to a compact put-away mode ideal for storage or shipping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example systems, methods, and so on, that illustrate various example embodiments of aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. An element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary steaming device for shaving in the steaming mode.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the exemplary steaming device for shaving in the steaming mode.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the exemplary steaming device for shaving in the steaming mode.

FIG. 4 illustrates a magnified view of the steaming device steaming mode, particularly a steam outlet assembly partially opened.

FIG. 5 illustrates a magnified view of the steaming device steaming mode, particularly a steam outlet assembly partially closed.

FIG. 6 illustrates the steaming device in a first transition mode from the steaming mode of FIGS. 1-3 to the put-away mode of FIGS. 8-10.

FIG. 7 illustrates the steaming device in second transition mode from the steaming mode of FIGS. 1-3 to the put-away mode of FIGS. 8-10.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the exemplary steaming device for shaving in the put-away mode.

FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the exemplary steaming device for shaving in the put-away mode.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the exemplary steaming device for shaving in the put-away mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate perspective, side, a cross-sectional views, respectively, of an exemplary steaming device 1 for shaving. FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the device 1 in the deployed or steaming mode.

The device 1 may include a base 3 that rests on a counter C of, for example, a bathroom. The base 3 may include a water reservoir 5 inside an inner cylinder 6 and a water heating element 7 in thermal proximity to the reservoir 5 to heat the water sufficiently to progressively transform at least some of the water into a stream of steam. The device 1 may also include a steam outlet 9 disposed distal the base 3 along a longitudinal axis a of the steaming device 1. The steam outlet 9 outputs the stream of steam. The steam outlet 9 may include a planar surface 11 that has formed thereon orifices 13 from which the stream of steam flows out. The device 1 may also include a steam delivery conduit 15 that may include a receiving end 15 a fluidly connected to the base and a discharge end 15 b fluidly connected to the steam outlet 9. In the steaming mode, the steam deliver conduit 15 delivers the stream of steam from the base 3 to the steam outlet 9. The device 1 may also include a hingedly attached mirror 17 that is user adjustable and, when flipped up, reveals the orifices 13.

The device 1 may include a power cord 19 for connecting the device 1 to a standard power outlet (e.g., 120 VAC) and an on/off switch 21. The reservoir 5 in the inner cylinder 6 may be filled with water which the heating element 7 heats when the switch 21 is in the on position. The heating element 7 heats the water to create steam which flows upward through the steam delivery conduit 15 to the steam outlet 9 which delivers the steam to the user's face via the orifices 13.

The device 1 may also include an outer cylinder or movable body element 23, which surrounds most of the steam delivery conduit 15 and slides along the longitudinal axis a upwards to the steaming mode of FIGS. 1-3 and downwards to the put-away mode described below.

In the deployed or steaming mode of FIGS. 1-3, the outer cylinder 23 may be slid upwards which causes the steam delivery conduit 15 to extend upwards also for the steam outlet 9 to reach just under/front of a user's face. The mirror 17 may be flipped up and adjusted (i.e., tilted to an angle (e.g., 30° relative to the longitudinal axis a)) by pivoting it about the hinge pin 24 for the mirror to reflect the user's face. The steam outlet assembly 9 may be hingedly connected and, thus, may be tilted to an angle (e.g., −45° relative to the longitudinal axis a) via a hinge pin 25. In the deployed or steaming mode, the device 1 may be about sixteen inches tall from the counter C and when flipped open, the steam outlet 9 may be higher. These height and angles of the steam outlet 9 and the mirror 17 may be ideal to direct steam to an average height person's face when the device 1 is placed on top of a standard bathroom vanity or counter. Moreover, these height and angles of the steam outlet 9 and the mirror 17 may be ideal to direct steam to an average height person's face while the person looks in the mirror without fogging the mirror. Importantly, in the steaming mode the height of the steam outlet 9 and the angle of the mirror 17 may be adjustable to adjust to a user preference.

In the steaming mode, the planar surface of the steam outlet 9 may be set to a diagonal orientation such that the orifices 13 direct the stream of steam partially from in front and partially from under the person's face. The mirror 17 may be adjustable to a diagonal orientation so that the person may see their face on the mirror 17 but the steam does not fog the mirror. The mirror 17 is pivotably attached to the steam outlet 9 and configurable from a position in the steaming mode in which the mirror's surface is pivoted away from the planar surface of the steam outlet 9 such that the stream of steam reaches the person's face but substantially misses the mirror's surface to prevent fogging to a position in which the mirror's surface is parallel the planar surface of the steam outlet 9 in the put-away mode.

The steam delivery conduit 15 may be an accordion-type flexible tube that connects to the reservoir 7 at the receiving end 15 a and to the steam outlet 9 at the delivery end 15 b. The collapsible accordion nature of the steam deliver conduit 15 allows it to extend and contract depending on whether the device 1 is in the steaming mode or the put-away mode.

The device 1 may include a view window 27 that allows the user to see how much water remains in the reservoir 5. The power cord 19 may be extendable and retractable from the base 3 via a spring reel assembly 29, which may include a button 39 to activate the reel action. In one embodiment, the device 1 includes a heat shield 31 that protects the user from accidentally touching the hot steam delivery conduit 15 during use.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate magnified views of the steaming device 1 in the steaming mode, particularly the steam outlet assembly 9. The steam outlet assembly 9 may include a ring valve 33 that may be rotated by the user to control steam flow by allowing varying amounts of steam to exit the rear of the steam outlet assembly 9. The ring 33 is fluidly connected to the delivery end 15 b of the steam delivery conduit 15. The ring 33 includes an outer opening 35 that is alignable and disalignable with an inner opening 37 by rotating the ring 33. The more overlap or alignment between the outer opening 35 and the inner opening 37, the more steam that escapes through the openings 35, 37 and, thus, the less steam directed to the orifices 13. Thus, the ring 33 operates as a valve to control flow of the stream of steam and, thereby, adjust steam output from the orifices 13. If the user is experiencing too much steam, the user can rotate the ring 33 to cause less steam to exit the orifices 13 or, if the user is experiencing not enough steam, the user can rotate the ring 33 to cause more steam to exit the orifices 13.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the steaming device 1 in transition from the steaming mode of FIGS. 1-3 to the put-away mode of FIGS. 8-10.

In FIG. 6, the user has flipped the mirror 17 down by pivoting it about the hinge pin 24. In FIG. 7, the user untilted the steam outlet 9 by pivoting it about the hinge pin 25. Next, the user may press down on the steam outlet assembly 9 and/or slide the outer cylinder 23 downwards which causes the steam outlet assembly 9 to move down and the steam delivery conduit 15 to contract downwards. This contraction urges excess steam out through the openings 35, 37.

FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 illustrate perspective, side, a cross-sectional views, respectively, of the exemplary steaming device 1 in the put-away mode. Once the steam outlet assembly 9 is all the way down, the device 1 is in the put-away mode. In this mode, the height of the device 1 may be approximately eleven inches which may be small enough to remain unobtrusively on the bathroom vanity top or counter C.

In one embodiment, the power cord 19 may be extendable and retractable from the base 3 via a spring reel assembly 29. The spring reel assembly 29 may include a spring reel holding button 39 that, when pressed by a user, retracts the cord 19. The spring reel assembly may also be used in the steaming mode to adjust the length of the cord 19. The device 1 in the put-away mode is also compact for shipping.

In one embodiment, the outer cylinder 23 may be separated from the base 3 by twisting the outer cylinder 23 approximately 45 degrees which disconnects the steam delivery conduit 15 from the reservoir 5. Removal allows the user to easily fill the reservoir 5 with water and then to replace the outer cylinder 23 by inserting and twisting the outer cylinder 23 to the base 3, which reengages the steam delivery conduit 15 to the reservoir 5.

Once the reservoir 5 is filled with water, the user may set the device 1 to the steaming mode (by sliding up the movable body element or outer cylinder 23, angling the steam outlet 9 and the mirror 17, etc.), plug the power cable 19, turn on the switch 21, and adjust the steam valve ring 33.

While example systems, methods, and so on, have been illustrated by describing examples, and while the examples have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the systems, methods, and so on, described herein. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details, and illustrative examples shown or described. Thus, this application is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the preceding description is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

To the extent that the terms “in” or “into” are used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to additionally mean “on” or “onto.” Furthermore, to the extent the term “connect” is used in the specification or claims, it is intended to mean not only “directly connected to,” but also “indirectly connected to” such as connected through another component or components. An “operable connection,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected,” is one by which the operably connected entities or the operable connection perform its intended purpose. For example, two entities may be operably connected to each other directly or through one or more intermediate entities.

To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is employed in the detailed description or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed in the detailed description or claims (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both”. When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (3D. Ed. 1995). 

1. A steaming device for shaving, comprising: a base configured to rest on a counter and including a reservoir for water and a water heating mechanism in thermal proximity to the reservoir to heat the water sufficiently to progressively transform at least some of the water into a stream of steam; a steam outlet disposed distal the base along a longitudinal axis of the steaming device and configured to output the stream of steam, the steam outlet including a planar surface having formed thereon orifices from which the stream of steam flows; and a steam delivery conduit comprising a receiving end and a discharge end, the receiving end operably affixed to the base, the discharge end operably affixed to the steam outlet for delivering the stream of steam from the base to the steam outlet, the steaming device configurable to two modes: a put-away mode in which the steam delivery conduit is contracted towards or inside the base such that the steam outlet is compacted along the longitudinal axis with the rest of the steaming device and the planar surface is at a first angle relative to a surface of the counter, and a steaming mode in which the steam delivery conduit is extended away from the base along the longitudinal axis such that the steam outlet is disposed further from the base than in the put-away mode and the planar surface is at a second angle different from the first angle relative to the surface of the counter, angled such that the orifices direct the stream of steam toward a person's face when the base is resting on the counter.
 2. The steaming device of claim 1, wherein in the steaming mode the steam outlet is pivotable.
 3. The steaming device of claim 1, wherein the steam outlet is pivotable such that, in the steaming mode, the planar surface is in a diagonal orientation such that the orifices direct the stream of steam partially from in front and partially from under the person's face.
 4. The steaming device of claim 1, comprising: a mirror pivotably attached to the steam outlet and configurable to a position in which the mirror's surface is parallel the planar surface of the steam outlet in the put-away mode to a position in which the mirror's surface is pivoted away from the planar surface of the steam outlet such that the stream of steam reaches the person's face but substantially misses the mirror's surface to prevent fogging.
 5. The steaming device of claim 1, comprising: a mirror pivotably attached to the steam outlet, wherein the planar surface of the steam outlet is set to a substantially diagonal position in the steaming mode and the mirror is pivotable to a position in which the mirror's surface is substantially away from the planar surface such that the stream of steam reaches the person's face but substantially misses the mirror's surface to prevent fogging.
 6. The steaming device of claim 1, comprising: a valve operably connected to the steam delivery conduit and operable to control flow of the stream of steam and, thereby, adjust steam output from the orifices.
 7. The steaming device of claim 1, comprising: a movable body element having a wall that forms a longitudinal cavity and that surrounds most of the steam delivery conduit, the movable body element configured to slide along the longitudinal axis upwards to the steaming mode and downwards to the put-away mode.
 8. A steaming device for shaving, comprising: a base configured to rest on a counter and including a reservoir for water and a water heating mechanism in thermal proximity to the reservoir to heat the water sufficiently to progressively transform at least some of the water into a stream of steam; a steam outlet disposed distal the base along a longitudinal axis of the steaming device and configured to output the stream of steam; and a steam delivery conduit comprising a receiving end and a discharge end, the receiving end operably affixed to the base, the discharge end operably affixed to the steam outlet for delivering the stream of steam from the base to the steam outlet, the steaming device configurable to two modes: a put-away mode in which the steam delivery conduit is contracted towards or inside the base such that the steam outlet is compacted along the longitudinal axis with the rest of the steaming device, and a steaming mode in which the steam delivery conduit is extended away from the base along the longitudinal axis such that the steam outlet is disposed further from the base than in the put-away mode and near a person's face when the base is resting on the counter.
 9. The steaming device of claim 8, comprising: a compartment in fluid communication with the reservoir or the steam delivery conduit and configured to receive oils for the stream of steam to diffuse oil aroma.
 10. The steaming device of claim 8, wherein the steam outlet is adjustably pivotable to a diagonal orientation such that the stream of steam flows partially from in front and partially from under the person's face.
 11. The steaming device of claim 8, comprising: a mirror pivotably attached, wherein the steam outlet is adjustably pivotable to a diagonal orientation such that the stream of steam flows partially from in front and partially from under the person's face, and the mirror adjustably pivotable to a vertical or a diagonal orientation such that the stream of steam reaches the person's face but substantially misses the mirror's surface to prevent fogging.
 12. The steaming device of claim 8, comprising: a mirror adjustably pivotable to a vertical or a diagonal orientation in the steaming mode such that the stream of steam reaches the person's face but substantially misses the mirror's surface to prevent fogging.
 13. The steaming device of claim 8, comprising: a steam control mechanism operably connected to the steam delivery conduit and operable to control flow of the stream of steam and, thereby, adjust steam output through the steam outlet.
 14. The steaming device of claim 8, comprising: a movable body element that surrounds most of the steam delivery conduit, the movable body element configured to slide along the longitudinal axis upwards to the steaming mode and downwards to the put-away mode.
 15. A steaming device for shaving, comprising: a base configured to rest on a counter surface and including a steam producing mechanism for producing a stream of steam; a steam outlet disposed distal the base along a longitudinal axis of the steaming device and configured to output the stream of steam, the steam outlet including at least one orifice from which the stream of steam flows; and a steam delivery conduit comprising a receiving end and a discharge end, the receiving end operably connected to the base, the discharge end operably connected to the steam outlet for delivering the stream of steam from the base to the steam outlet, the steaming device configurable to two modes, a steaming mode and a put-away mode, wherein: in the put-away mode the steam outlet is closer to the base along the longitudinal axis than in the steaming mode, and in the steaming mode the steam outlet is disposed further from the base than in the put-away mode and the orifices are angled relative to the counter surface to direct the stream of steam toward a person's face when the base is resting on the counter surface.
 16. The steaming device of claim 15, comprising: a compartment in fluid communication with the reservoir or the steam delivery conduit and configured to receive therapeutic substances for the stream of steam to diffuse aroma.
 17. The steaming device of claim 15, wherein the steam outlet is adjustably pivotable to a diagonal orientation such that the stream of steam flows diagonally relative to the person's face.
 18. The steaming device of claim 15, comprising: a mirror pivotably attached, wherein the steam outlet is adjustably pivotable to a diagonal orientation such that the stream of steam flows diagonally relative to the person's face, and the mirror adjustably pivotable to a vertical or a diagonal orientation such that the stream of steam reaches the person's face but substantially misses the mirror's surface to prevent fogging.
 19. The steaming device of claim 15, comprising: a steam control mechanism operably connected to the steam delivery conduit and operable to control flow of the stream of steam and, thereby, adjust steam output through the steam outlet.
 20. The steaming device of claim 19, comprising: a movable body element that surrounds at least some of the steam delivery conduit, the movable body element configured to move down along the longitudinal axis to the put-away mode and up along the longitudinal axis to the steaming mode. 